NYC native Jared Weintraub is a young veteran of today’s music scene, having started his stage career at the young age of 14 in the clubs of Manhattan. This feat is impressive to be sure, but if you don’t live around New York, you probably haven’t caught Jared playing live. However, if you were a fan on NBC’s The Sing Off, then you likely saw Weintraub’s collegiate a capella group, The Deltones (who made it into the top 10 of the competition). Needless to say, Weintraub has found much success in a short period of time.

His latest release is titled Full Band; an EP with five original tunes written for the acoustic guitar and brought to life with a (you guessed it) full band. We asked Jared to give us a flavor of the sound you’ll find on the new EP – he says “I would describe my sound as acoustic/folk/pop. I combine folk’s meaningful lyrics, with an acoustic feel, and the catchiness of pop while also making sure that every song has a positive purpose or meaning…I think when you listen to my EP on repeat you will hear something new or be able to find a different meaning each time.” Weintraub is on full throttle supporting Full Band, so click to www.jaredweintraub.com for all of the information on Jared’s latest shows and activities. There’s still much to get into, so keep reading for all the answers to the XXQs below.

XXQs: Jared Weintraub

PensEyeView.com (PEV): How would you describe your sound and what makes you different from others in your genre?

Jared Weintraub (JW): I would describe my sound as acoustic/folk/pop. My sound is unique because I combine folk’s meaningful lyrics, with an acoustic feel, and the catchiness of pop while also making sure that every song has a positive purpose or meaning. Many other artists focus on one of the aspects I’ve mentioned while neglecting the others. My music is easy and fun to listen to, but at the same time I think when you listen to my EP on repeat you will hear something new or be able to find a different meaning each time.

PEV: Born in the suburbs of New York City, what kind of music were you into growing up? Do you remember your first concert?

JW: It was very rare for my family to have modern pop music playing on the radio. Very early on I remember listening to show tunes with my grandfather and then came Elvis and other music from the 50’s, the Jackson 5, the Beatles, etc. When I was younger I would listen to one CD on repeat for hours and days on end until I really internalized the music I loved listening to. Now I tend to listen to almost anything I can get my hands on (or really my phone to download). As far as my earliest concert goes I have a very vague memory of seeing my uncle Art play a big show in NYC.

PEV: What was it like trying to break into the music scene when you first started? What was your first show like?

JW: I’ve been playing music for as long as I can remember. There have been several different times when I’ve had the realization or reconfirmation that this was really what I am meant to be doing. The first time I really felt like I should pursue music was in the 4th grade when I found out I had been casted as Birdie in the play “Bye Bye Birdie” when there were older kids who were going to be extras. I remember being so surprised and thinking that I must actually be good at this thing that I loved doing if I was chosen over older kids. My solo career really began when I started playing open mics around my freshman or sophomore year of high school. I would take the train into the city and have to pretend to be 21 or basically try and blend in as much as possible until I performed. My first solo gigs began when the bars I started playing these open mics at began offering me performance slots to what would be empty rooms. I loved just being able to perform outside of my hometown.

PEV: What can fans expect from a live Jared Weintraub show?

JW: Every show I play is a little bit different. Sometimes I’ll play with a full band, sometimes I’ll play an acoustic set with a female vocalist singing harmonies, but usually I will perform as a solo acoustic act. I love to play my original music but also love to throw in some covers in many different genres, which fans might not expect. No matter the set up or the venue fans can expect passion, enthusiasm, and fun. I also never wear shoes on stage!

PEV: What is the first thing that comes to mind when you step on stage to perform?

JW: I always prepare very seriously for each performance and am my harshest critic leading up to the show. When the actual performance comes I remind myself that I have put a lot of hard work and energy into preparing for this moment and to remember that the most important part of performing is to have fun and be focused emotionally on each song I perform. I love being in front of people so when I finally get to step on stage to perform I am usually more relaxed and confident than any other time in my life.

PEV: What is the best part about being on stage in front of an audience?

JW: I love being able to share my passion with others, live and in person. I love getting into the zone and finishing a song and knowing undoubtedly that an audience of people I have never met before really enjoyed what they heard based on their reaction. No matter how something may sound on a recording I think being able to experience and perform music live will always be the most meaningful and fulfilling part of my life because of how it affects myself and others.

PEV: What is the underlining inspiration for your music?

JW: The overarching theme for my music is that positive thoughts and actions lead to positive results. I truly believe that our attitudes and our willingness to take action based on these attitudes are what can make our future better than it is today.

PEV: Thinking back to when you first started out, do you ever look back on your career and think about your earlier days and how you’ve arrived where you are today?

JW: I still believe I am very early in my career so I am constantly moving forward and trying to figure out what the next step for me is going to be. However, every once in a while I take a step back to reflect on the things I have already accomplished and I try to truly appreciate and be grateful for these things.

PEV: What’s one thing we’d be surprised to hear about you?

JW: My degree is in Psychology rather than something related to music (although music management was my minor).

PEV: What do you do when you hit a brick wall in your writing? What are some methods to get over that?

JW: My writing usually comes in waves. Whenever I really feel the need to write a song I lock myself in a room alone and let myself relax and flesh out the thoughts that I have on paper. I often will go to my family cabin in the woods for solitude because I am very shy about having others hear my work before I feel it is finished.

PEV: How do you think the industry has changed over the years, since you started out or got involved in just enjoying your music?

JW: I think the Internet and specifically social media is the most radical change since I began to get involved in the industry. In some ways it has made the industry much more accessible to artists like me because I am able to share my music with such a wide range of people all over the world who I may never have had the opportunity to reach in the past. On the other hand there are also millions of other artists who are doing the same thing as me so it is very hard for audiences to weed through the varying quality of music out there and being able to find new artists they truly love. I also think having such an overwhelming amount of material to sift through has forced our generation to become much less patient and to move from one song to another before they have ever really given some of the material a chance to process. In my experience some of the bands and artists I now consider to be my favorites took several listens before I really enjoyed and understood their music.

PEV: What can fans expect from your latest release, Full Band? What was the writing process like for this album?

JW: The Full Band EP is comprised of 5 original songs that I wrote between the ages of 15 and 22. This is the first time that I took songs, which were written only with an acoustic guitar at many different stages in my life, and brought several extremely talented musicians together in order to create full band arrangements. I am very lucky and thankful to have such incredible, talented people in my life, who were willing to play on my EP.

PEV: With all your traveling, is there one area you wish you could travel around and play that you have not yet?

JW: I have never been to Eastern Europe or Asia so I would love to travel there with my music one day.

PEV: How have all your friends and family reacted to your career?

JW: Overall I am very lucky to have a very supportive group of people around me. I have a few friends who challenge my lifestyle but we always have very great conversations about my plans and how I live my life so in the end I feel even more confident about what I’m doing. I think having such a great support group but also having friends who care deeply enough to challenge me constructively is very valuable and important in such a hard industry to break into.

PEV: What can we find you doing in your spare time, aside from playing/writing music?

JW: I am constantly reading, listening to new music, traveling, trying new things, learning, and enjoying life overall.

PEV: Name one present and past artist or group that would be your dream collaboration? Why?

JW: I would love to collaborate with John Lennon and Adele because they are both artists I relate to on a personal level but also idolize as musicians and would love to work with.

PEV: Is there an up and coming band or artist you think we should all be looking out for now?

JW: Right now I’m loving Ed Sheeran’s music.

PEV: If playing music wasn’t your life (or life’s goal), what would be your career?

JW: I would probably try to do something with psychology or some other form of therapy because I love helping people understand themselves and others.

PEV: So, what is next for Jared Weintraub?

JW: I am in the early stages of planning a tour for 2013, performing as much as possible, recording an EPK video, writing new music, and promoting my Full Band EP.

Mix and match Justin Bieber's looks with John Mayer's voice and songwriting and you get a good picture of Jared Weintraub's talent. I recently had the privilege of featuring this precocious, young artist on the White Plains Cable/Internet show, "The Working Musician" (www.TheWorkingMusician.com). He accompanied himself on acoustic guitar and played all of the tunes off of "Full Band EP," his debut album. This recent University of Delaware graduate instantly mesmerized the camera crew, directors, and studio audience with his fervor and musical charisma. View the results yourself atWPCommunityMedia.org.

As the CD title suggests, "Full Band EP" features his group playing five original compositions. The musicians include Jared Weintraub (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Alex da Silva (bass), Alex Raderman (drums and percussion), Art "Ski" Halperin (banjo, guitar), Grant Fisher (lead/slide guitar), Nicole Scambia (backup vocals). Art Halperin produced and recorded the record, setting the vocals up front and center. The band provides an effective and sympathetic backdrop for the artist's "message."

On this effort, Weintraub tackles such disparate issues as love, positivity, and social injustice. "Angel/Devil" deals with the age old female dichotomy. "You looked like an angel. You had the Devil in your eye." "Why Won't It Rain" channels Eagle Eye Cherry's "Save Tonight" to describe the descent of a relationship. "Here we go again, pretending we can just be friends. We both know how this is gonna end. So why should we go through this again?" In the beautifully moving "Don't Be Afraid of Change," our hero stands behind a friend. "Don't be afraid of change. Nothing ever can stay the same. I'll be right here always. When you need a hand to hold and the world around feels cold, don't hesitate to call my name." The upbeat message continues with the island beat of "Positivity. "If I am to sit at a desk pushing papers after four hours of rest, I'll do it with a smile cause every day's worthwhile." In the anthemic "Stand Up," Weintraub urges us to effect change. "Stand up if you want to make a difference. Stand up if you want to make a change. Stand up cause the longer that you sit there the more the world will stay the same."

On "Full Band EP," Jared Weintraub spreads his youthful vigor with cheer and compassion. A very promising debut from a man destined to make a dent!

(PCM) Jared Weintraub’s music is accessible, relaxed, and bright-eyed, a collection of anthems for barefoot summers, young romances, and carefree attitudes. His debut EP, Full Band (released in September 2012), is easy on the ears and can be played again and again without losing its appeal to the casual listener. But for those who take the time to digest Jared’s music, the young artist displays creativity, soul, and natural talent typical of a musician far beyond his years.

Throughout the EP, his soulful vocals, insightful lyrics, and soothing, positive style beg comparison to John Mayer, Ray Lamontagne, Bob Dylan, the Lumineers, and The Beatles. His EP also showcases stirring melodies, accenting airy rhythms with electric guitar flourishes and showing off a range of musical styles from rock to folk to reggae.

The result is a catchy, understandable, fun, and thoughtful recording that leaves the listener with the sense that Weintraub has much more in store.

Born in the suburbs of New York City, Jared began a precocious musical career when, at the ripe age of 12, he picked up the guitar and taught himself to play in order to support his love of singing. At 14, he was playing solo shows in Manhattan. After graduating from the University of Delaware, Weintraub and his collegiate acapella group, The Deltones, made it to the top 10 on the NBC reality show, “The Sing Off.” Jared has played to audiences in excess of 5,000 people, opened for James Maddock at New York’s historic Towne Crier Café, and maintains a loyal fan base that grows every day.

Jared Weintraub’s music is accessible, relaxed, and bright-eyed, a collection of anthems for barefoot summers, young romances, and carefree attitudes. His debut EP, Full Band (released in September 2012), is easy on the ears and can be played again and again without losing its appeal to the casual listener. But for those who take the time to digest Jared’s music, the young artist displays creativity, soul, and natural talent typical of a musician far beyond his years.

Throughout the EP, his soulful vocals, insightful lyrics, and soothing, positive style beg comparison to John Mayer, Ray Lamontagne, Bob Dylan, the Lumineers, and The Beatles. His EP also showcases stirring melodies, accenting airy rhythms with electric guitar flourishes and showing off a range of musical styles from rock to folk to reggae.

The result is a catchy, understandable, fun, and thoughtful recording that leaves the listener with the sense that Weintraub has much more in store.

Born in the suburbs of New York City, Jared began a precocious musical career when, at the ripe age of 12, he picked up the guitar and taught himself to play in order to support his love of singing. At 14, he was playing solo shows in Manhattan. After graduating from the University of Delaware, Weintraub and his collegiate acapella group, The Deltones, made it to the top 10 on the NBC reality show, “The Sing Off.” Jared has played to audiences in excess of 5,000 people, opened for James Maddock at New York’s historic Towne Crier Café, and maintains a loyal fan base that grows every day.

His songwriting and singing skills are strong and are delivered with sincerity and passion. Jared Weintraub is clearly an artist on the rise.

Hello world and Merry Christmas to all, peace & love on earth! Like many of you I love Pandora. Do you know that Pandora has to pay $$ everytime we stream a song on their platforms? As you can imagine this can get quite costly. I suggest they begin paying per 500 or 1000 plays. I realize musicians need to get paid but I hope not at the cost of losing this revolutionary music genome technology. We need compromise on both sides! Now I said my gift to you all is music and I did not lie. NYC native Jared Weintraub is here with his smooth, melodic, and contagious sound. His ‘Full Band EP’ is out now and I will have it playing thru New Years! Join me as Jared speaks on getting into music, staying positive, and he was right about December 22.

Stoli: I love your sound. At what age would you say that you developed your sound and discovered who you are as a musician?

Jared Weintraub: Thanks! My sound is something I have been developing my entire life and am constantly experimenting with. I think that my sound is a reflection of wherever I am personally at that point in my life and how I express myself as an individual every day. Being an acoustic artist has always been a natural fit for me because I feel like I have a very simple and positive message in my songs that is easily expressed with a simple acoustic guitar and me singing. However, I also think that with this “Full Band” EP project I learned that adding other instruments and ideas into the simple music that I originally wrote, that I could expand on the messages and themes of my songs in a bigger way then I had imagined them. This realization is an example of how I think it’s very important to constantly question myself and try new things while also remaining true to the sound I have always known myself to be bound to.

Stoli: Growing up in your home how much did your friends/family encourage you to pursue music?

Jared Weintraub: My earliest memories revolve around music and my family. On my moms side my grandfather was always listening to Broadway musical soundtracks, or playing his mandolin. My uncle Art is also an incredible musician so I always remember seeing and hearing him perform which was a huge influence on me. On my dads side I have very earlymemories of playing the piano in my grandmother’s house, which was probably my earliest experimentation with creating music of my own. My family always taught me to do whatever you love and whatever makes you happy and somehow figure out a way to make it work. Music has always been that thing for me so I am very lucky to have a very loving and supporting family that has never second-guessed my decision to make music my life. I am also very lucky to have a lot of close friends who all do very different things in life and support each other in whatever ways we can. I was overwhelmed on the night of my EP release party when over 100 of my family and friends came to show their support for me. I am very thankful and grateful to have such incredible people in my life.

Stoli: You have been a solo artist for most of your career. What are the advantages and disadvantages of being solo as opposed to a group?

Jared Weintraub: I have! Obviously there are tons of advantages to being solo: You can rehearse anytime and anywhere, schedule any performance at anytime wherever you’d like, make decisions right away without consulting anybody else, and pretty much having the independence to do and go anywhere you’d like. However, there’s a lot of pressure being a solo artist because no matter what happens on or off stage you are ultimately responsible for the results. Doing a full band was an incredibly eye opening and positive experience for me since I had never tried it before. I love being surrounded by extremely talented musicians who brought out things in songs that I wrote that I would have never thought of or knew existed in my writing. I also love performing with other people because each person brings different perspective and energy into the music that I could not do acoustically. I love each of the two experiences and definitely plan on doing both in the future.

Stoli: I have your ‘Full Band’ EP and its great! How long were you writing & recording the songs and how did you choose the 5 on the EP?

Jared Weintraub: Thank you so much! I wrote the song “Why Won’t it Rain?” when I was 15 and “Positivity was written a week before rehearsals started with the band, so the “Full Band” EP is a collection of songs I’ve written over many different stages in my life. In choosing these 5 songs I tried to pick songs that I felt a deeper connection to than just the words or the music. I also wanted to make sure that they were songs that I thought would benefit from being recorded with a full band rather than the acoustic home recordings I’ve done in the past.

Stoli: If you were to do a music video for one single what would it be off the EP?

Jared Weintraub: I’ve thought about this a lot recently because I would like to do a high quality video in the near future. Right now I’m leaning towards “Stand Up” because I feel like there are a lot of different images and themes that I could incorporate into the story of the song. A music video should be something that adds to the purpose of the song and I think “Stand Up” would definitely benefit from a visual interpretation.

Stoli: I watched some of your live videos on YouTube. Do you prefer playing live or in studio and any shows coming up?

Jared Weintraub: I love playing in the studio because there are unlimited options as to what you can create with very little. For example, I can sing lead vocals, then add several different harmonies, and it will sound like a bunch of different people singing together. However, I have to say that I prefer playing live. There is something about performing to an audience and being able to feel their energy and feed off of however they are feeling that makes me love performing live. I think the act of performing live is one of the very few experiences that will never be able to be reproduced by a computer and feel the same as the real thing.

Stoli: I love your song “Positivity.” What inspired you to write that song and how can people who are hurting stay positive in these hard times?

Jared Weintraub: “Positivity” was a song that really wrote itself. I was visiting my friend Frank at the University of Delaware (where I went to school as well), and while he was in class I sat in his bedroom and just started writing. By the time he got back from class I had written the whole thing and played it for him. Having just graduated from college, being in California for the summer, and then coming back home and realizing I wasn’t going back to class in the fall and not knowing what was next for me made me feel very anxious. Sitting in my friends room and reflecting on this and realizing that as long as I kept a positive mindset and worked hard at whatever it is I decide to do in life then I can never live with regrets. To me regret is the scariest idea because it means that you wish that you had made a different decision in life then the one you decided at the time. The idea behind “Positivity” is that no matter what happens, even if I end up sleeping on the floor, I can take responsibilities for my own actions as long as I stay positive and try my hardest. Some of the hardest times in my life have led me to some of the greatest. By finding something to be passionate about and work hard for, I think people can stay positive in the times we live in today no matter how hard things may seem. I have always believed that hopelessness and boredom are the two most dangerous things in the world.

Stoli: What times & mood during your day do you feel like writing music?

Jared Weintraub: For some reason writing comes to me in waves. I can write several songs within a week of each other and then not be able to finish a song for several months after that. My songs typically start as a single line or idea that I write down throughout my day about whatever it is a may be feeling at any given moment and then I end up going back to it when I have time to be alone and really digest whatever thoughts or feelings that inspired that line.

Stoli: Do you believe the Mayans that December 21 is the end of the world?

Jared Weintraub: I think that anything is possible! My gut tells me that the sun will rise on December 22nd and things will carry on as usual. But I think the possibility for some sort of fundamental change in our way of living is very possible as well.

The Full Band EP is the debut release from New York City’s Jared Weintraub. This young singer/songwriter was originally an acoustic artist, but this latest release is his first with a full band… hence Full Band EP. Weintraub is no rookie though. He began playing shows in NYC by the age of 14 and his collegiate acappella group, The Deltones, made the top 10 of NBC’s “The Sing Off”.

The first thing I thought of when listening to the Full Band EP is that this reminds me of the kind of thing most college girls I knew were into. Jared Weintraub sounds like the guy that played the folky/poppy tunes on his acoustic guitar in the quad that the ladies loved. This probably works out pretty well for him, and if I recall correctly, most guys either tried to be better than him or didn’t like him. Like this style or not though, it certainly wasn’t the worst idea for a guy like Jared.

The five tunes that make up the Full Band EP are nice and familiar, but Weintraub certainly isn’t breaking barriers here. The themes are relaxing and uplifting, and the lyrics leave clear messages that don’t challenge the listener. Jared certainly comes across as a kind and carefree soul offering up some breezy tunes for a nice spring or summer day. Think the songs of John Mayer (the poppy ones, not his rockin’ blues stuff), Matt Kearney, or Jason Mraz. While Weintraub does bring in the full band here, I feel that I would prefer the songs in an acoustic format, or at least a less involved band. The Full Band EPis good, but its finest moments are Jared Weintraub’s earnestness, which comes off best at his simplest.

I am proud to announce that my good friend, Jared Weintraub has finally released his Full Band EP. I first met Jared at Camp Cayuga and instantly hit it off because we both love music. Words cannot express how proud I am of him; he’s a talented singer/songwriter, and if you have not heard his stuff then you are definitely missing out.

His Full Band EP features 5 new tracks and each one is different in its own way.

I really enjoyed listening to “Positivity” because it has a reggae feel to it and I definitely see myself bumping this in my car. It’s a mix between John Mayer and Bob Marley, and if that doesn’t sell you on the song… Jared is HOT!!! LOL

“Stand Up” is a beautiful song with powerful lyrics. What I got from the song is that we all talk and talk about making a difference in the world but what we need to do is STAND UP and act on it — “If you talk the talk, you’ve got to walk the walk”.

I think everyone will be able to connect with “Don’t Be Afraid of Change” – because many of us are afraid of change. Jared did a great job of putting our feelings into a song… I just close my eyes and let the song soak in. Filled with great lyrics and a guitar solo that is just amazing.

What can I say about “Why Won’t it Rain”? I fell in love with this song when Jared sent it to me a few years ago when it was the acoustic version. I’m excited to now hear the full band version that is fast becoming one of my favorite songs. LOVE IT!!

The final track on the Full Band EP is “Angel/Devil”. I know he secretly wrote this song about me… shhh tell no one. Just kidding, but seriously what girl wouldn’t want this

song to be about her? We’re all angels mixed with little devilish tendenciesJ.

Amazing work and totally enjoyed listening to the new Full Band EP. I can’t wait to hear what you all thought about it. Buy the album and spread the word!

After having gone through Deltones training and a reality TV show competition, university alumnus Jared Weintraub will release his first EP album on Saturday.

Weintraub, who graduated in 2011 and lives in Westchester County, NY, said his music is similar to artists like Bob Dylan and John Lennon. He said the genre is a cross between indie, pop and folk.

The album, “Full Band EP,” will be available to download through online music providers and the physical CD will be sold in stores. He said the five tracks on the CD are his original lyrics and have a laidback sound.

“I write anything from typical love songs to basic commentary on how we have been brought up and how our generation has been raised and how we act,” Weintraub said. “There are songs about life in general and all the things we take for granted.”

He said he has been singing since childhood. When he was 12, the singer-songwriter realized he could sing without any instruments in the background. Then, he started to teach himself how to play guitar.

“I used to sing in my living room whenever my parents had friends over and put on little shows for them with my sister,” he said.

Some of his musical inspirations include Adele, Ray LaMontagne, the Beatles and his uncle, Art “Ski” Halperin, who is producing the album.

Halperin, who owns a recording studio in upstate New York, said he worked on the album with Weintraub for two months this summer.

“We would play live with the band and record the basic tracks,” he said “Then he [Weintraub] would come in and sing all his parts and we would sing in harmony.”

Weintraub is used to working with other singers because he was in the Deltones, a university a cappella group, for three years.

“I got to be with other amazing singers and learn from them,” he said. “I worked on becoming a better signer and singing with other people that I thought were just incredible.”

Weintraub said when he is not singing, he works for his family’s company that specializes in promotional products like T-shirts, hats and key chains.

He said as a Deltone he adopted a strict work ethic. He learned from other members of the group and gained experience singing in front of an audience. The Deltones were like Weintraub’s family, he said, and gave him honest feedback about his singing.

Junior and current Deltone Walter Pendleton said he is proud of Weintraub and thinks he deserves success from his album.

“Jared was definitely one of the leaders in the group,” Pendleton said. “He would always be really focused and he was a great person to have with us.”

Senior Deltone Alex Bliziotis went to Los Angeles with Weintraub to compete in the NBC reality television show “The Sing-Off.” He said Weintraub helped the group make it to TV. After producers saw the Deltones’ audition tape, they researched the singer and wanted him on the show.

“We sent an audition tape to NBC’s producers,” Bliziotis said. “They saw one of his videos on YouTube and the producer really, really liked it, and so he contacted Jared and it went from there.”

The group was there for a month and came in 10th place out of the 16 groups that competed on the show, Bliziotis said.

Halperin said he is proud of his nephew’s passion for music and his new album. He said enjoys watching Weintraub grow as a musician.

“I have known him for his whole life, and he just loves music,” Halperin said. “It’s good to see him grow and get better. That’s his true love.”